Evaporator burner or stove



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Z. DAVIS. EVAPORATOR BURNER 0R STOVE.

N0. 555,436. Patented Feb. 25, 1896.

ANDREW KGFMMWL PHDTOMTHO. WASHINGTON. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ZEBULON DAVIS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

EVAPORATOR BURNER OR STOVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,436, dated February 25, 1896.

Application filed March 1 3 1 8 94:.

T0 00M whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ZEBULON DAVIS, of Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Evaporator Burners or Stoves; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in evaporator stoves or burners and it consists in providing means for a controllable sub fire or flame, which will be fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

This invention pertains to that class of vapor-burners wherein hydrocarbon fluid is fed in small particles upon an evaporating-surface exposed to heated air and the resultant vapor fed by gravity to the burner. Burners of this class are constructed and sold with and without means for supplying a sub fire or flame at or near the base thereof. A sub fire is very desirable for the starting or initial operation of the burner, in that it heats the burner quickly and prevents an excess or flooding of unevaporatedfluid at the base of the burner in cold atmospheres, (as on a winter morning,) which excess will ignite and cause a puff that is harmless, but very undesirable for many reasons. With the sub fire or flame the burner can be started quickly in cold atmospheres with a heavier grade of gasoline than can be satisfactorily done without the subfire, which is an important fact in this connection at this time, when on account of the great demand therefor heavier grades are being supplied to the consumers.

To the subfire as a constancy in a burner there are serious objections, for it is unneces sary and undesirable after the starting or initial operation of the burner, and it consumes a considerable quantity of vapor without producing anybeneficial result, thus making the use of a burner provided therewith more expensive, and it causes an unpleasant odor when the burner is extinguished. In warm weather or ina warm room the use of Serial No. 503,436. (No model.)

a sub fire or flame is not needed even in start ing the burner and should not be used.

WVith these points in mind the primary object of my present invention is to provide a stove or burner of the class named with a controllable sub fire or flame, preferably at or near the base thereof, which the operator can open for use when needed in starting the burner and shut off when not needed, whereby the desirable features of a subfire are retained and the undesirable, disadvantageous, and unnecessary features thereof overcome.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for automatically reducing the draft through the burner-flue when the sub fire or flame is in operation, whereby the ignition of the subflame from the top or main burner is made certain, and after ignition is steady, so that it is not intermittently lighted and extinguished, which is found to be the case where the draft through the burner-flue is not reduced, and to automatically allow a full draft when the subfire is shut off.

These objects I obtain by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a stove with the preferred form of my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the lower end of the burner, the parts being shown in solid lines for shutting off the subfire and in dotted lines for opening or starting it. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the lower end of Fig. 1, which is my preferred form. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective of the lower end of the burner shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of the lower end of the burner, showing another construction for accomplishing the same result. Fig. 6 is a similar view of another construction.

Referring now to the drawings, A indicates a burner-chamber carrying a burner-cap at its upper end, a vapor-conducting tube B being connected with the lower end thereof. Placed within the upper end of this vaporconducting tube is a perforated evaporatingsurface 0, and supported above the upper end of this tube B is a hydrocarbon'reservoir D, having a depending nozzle E for feed ing the liquid upon the evaporator, which feed is controlled by a suitable valve F. Surrounding the upper end of the burner-chamber and immediately below the burner-cap is a hot-air conductor G, which is in communication with the upperend of the tube B above the evaporator for feeding heated air to the liquid as it is fed to the evaporator. Passing longitudinally through the burner-chamber A is an air-flue I, through which fresh heated air passes to and above the burner-cap and between the flame and the article being heated.

The above construction is referred to and illustrated for the purpose of enabling my invention to be fully understood and appreciated, but to which I make no claim, my invention residing in a controllable sub fire or flame, which I will nowproceed to describe by reference to the accompanying drawings.

The preferred form of m y invcntionisillustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, and to these figures attention is now directed. The lower end of the flue I is provided with one or more openings L near its lower end, and passing upward within this line is a short rotatable tube M, which is provided with openings N adapted to register with the openings L made in the flue by rotating the same. Attached to the lower end of this short tube M is an operat- 0 ing-lever P, which extends upward and out ward through the portion A and the base R of the burner-chamber. The outer end of this lever is turned upward to form a pointer S,and extending outward from the said lever is 3 5 a handle T, by means of which the tube M is rotated, as will be more fully described farther on.

\Vithin the lower end of the burner-chamher A, and surrounding the lower end of the fine I, is a chamber J, provided with slits K opposite the lower end of the vapor-coiulucting tube B, which forms a subfire-bumicr.

A lever a (clearly shown in Fig. 9) is intermediately pivoted to the lower side of the lever P, and the inner end of this lever is provided with an enlarged circular portion b, large enough to cover the lower open end of the flue I when turned over it, and this circular portion is provided with a small air-inlet opening (I. The opposite and outer end of this lever is widened, as shown at c, and has at each edge upwardly-extending lips or lugs f, which project at either side of the lever P, and are engaged by the pins or projections 5 5 g, which act as stops. A slot Q, Fig. 4, is formed in the lower edge of the base R by cutting the same away, and through this the outer end of the lever P extends and moves, the word Open being at one end of the slot and the word Shut at the opposite end, so that the operator can tell at a glance whether the subfire is or is not in operation.

The mode of operation of this construction is as follows: \Vhen the burner is started the liquid is allowed to drop upon the evaporator,

where a portion thereof is instantly evaporated and descends by gravity to the lower end of the lnirner-chamber and up the same to the burner-cap at the upper end thereof, where it is ignited with a match, the same as a gas-burner. A portion of the descending vapor passes through the slits K in the subfire-burner J into the chamber formed thereby, and when the lever P is turned, with the pointer thereof at the word Open,the openings N of the tube M register with the openings L in the flue I, which admits air within the subfire-burner for the purpose of supporting combustion, and the same lights from the burner-cap at the top of the burner-chamber through the flue I, which is at this time conveying mixed vapor and air upward, and which forms a lightingtube for the subfire-burner, as is readily understood by those versed in the art. At the same time the circnlar portion 1) of the lever a is thrown across the lower end of the fine I, so that only a small quantity of air is fed. thereto, which prevents the subiire from being either extinguished entirely or intermittently extinguished and lighted. This permits ,just the proper amount of air to keep the snblire burning steadily, which quickly heats the burner, thus feeding heated air through the hot-air tube H to the liquid as it is fed. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that when the subiire is Open (dotted lines) the lover a is operated by one of the studs or pins g engaging the outer end thereof,which throws its inner end over the flue I. \Vhen the subiire is no longer needed, the pointer S is carried to Shut, (solid lines, Fig. 2,) which causes the other pin g to engage the opposite side of the outer end of the lever 0, thus throwing the circular portion from over the ilue I, which allows a full flow of air therethrough and a full draft for the burner and closes the subfire, effecting a large saving in fuel. Any ex.- cess or overflow of the unevaporated fluid which may find its way to the lower end of the burner-chamber is evaporated and fed to the burner at the top thereof before there can be sufficient collection to cause a puff. When the upper end of the burner and the burner-chamber has become heated and the burner burning its regular force, heated air is fed through the hot-air tube sufficiently to not need the subfire any longer, and it is ex tinguished in the manner just described.

Another construction for aceomplishin g this result is illustrated in Fig. 5, to which I will now refer. I11 this instance the lower end of the line I is provided with a series of slits i to form a subfire -burner, and surrounding these slits is a chamber 72, having an opening opposite the inlet end of the vapor-conducting tube B. A door or valve 7a is provided for this opening and is hinged at its upper end to the upper end of the chamber h. Passing through one side of the base R and under and across the lower end of the flue I is an endwise-moving lover or red Z,

carrying a handle an at one end and having its opposite end connected with the outer end of a rod 19. This rod p passes through the lower end of the burner-chamber, which forms a supportinguide therefor, and has 'its inner end connected with the lower free end of the door or valve 7a through the medium of a link q. The rod or lever Z is provided intermediate its ends with a circular flattened portion 'n, which is slightly smaller in diameter than the diameter of the lower end of the flue I, so that when the rod is moved inward for the purpose of opening the door or valve, and thus permitting the vapor to pass into the chamber h, this circular portion 47. is below and partially closes the lower end of the flue, so that only the proper amount of air and draft is admitted thereto to keep the subflre burning steadily, as described in relation to Fig. 1. In this instance, however, the flame is within the flue, but the result is the same. When the rod or lever Z is out, the subflre is closed, but when it is moved inward it is C Open-77 V In Fig. 6 I illustrate another construction which is simple and effective for the same purpose. In this construction the lower end of the flue I is provided with an opening opposite the exit end of the vapor-conducting tube B, which is provided with a flange r. Passing through this opening is a short tube 8, smaller in diameter than the diameter of the flue, and this tube is provided with slitst to form a burner, the outer end of said tube being open to receive vapor from the tube B and its opposite end closed, said tube serving the double function of a burner and controller. An arm a depends from the inner end of this tube through and below the lower end of the flue I, and to the lower end of this arm an operating rod or lever 12 is attached, the opposite end of said rod passing through and guided by the base R and carrying at its outer end a handle w, by means of which it is operated. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6, the subfire is shut off. \Vhen, however, the rod 1; is drawn outward, thus moving the tube or burner 8 across and within the flue I, vapor from the burnerthe slits t.

chamber passes into the same and through The tube or burner 3 being smaller in diameter than the flue I, air circulates through the flue at each side of the tube and supplies sufficient air and draft to keep the subfire burning steadily, while it cuts OK the draft, as described in the other constructions, for the same purpose. The movement of the rod or lever Q7 inward carries the tube 8 to the position shown, the flange 0" serving to extinguish the flame, as will be readily understood, while at the same time the flue I is left clear to supply a full and sufficient draft for the burner when the same is going in full and the starting thereof accomplished by the subflre.

I do not limit myself to either of the abovedescribed constructions, for the same result may be accomplished in other ways, the obj ect being to show my preferred form' and a few of the many ways in which it may be done.

hile I have described the invention especially in connection with an evaporatorburner, I do not limit myself to this use, for it can be applied to other burners where such devices would be desirable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vapor-burner, an evaporator and a burner-chamber, in combination with an airflue within the burner-chamber, a subfireburner below the main burner and in communication with the flue, and a controller for the subfire-burner, an air-diminisher for the said flue below the subfire communication therewith, and an operative connection between the subfire-controller and the said air-diminishcr, the parts operatingtogether to have one open when the other is closed for the purpose described.

2. A burner comprising a burner-chamber having a main burner at its upper end and a subflre-burner below the main burner, a vapor-supply, an air-flue with which the subfireburner communicates, a subfire-burner controller, an air-feed controller intermediately pivoted upon and carried by said subfireburner controller, the inner end of said airfeed controller adapted to control the air-feed, and a stop engaging the opposite end thereof for the purpose described.

3. A vaporburner comprising a burnerchainber having a longitudinal flue, a vaporsupply, a main burner at its upper end and a subfire-burner below the main burner, the said flue having an opening forming communication with the subfire-burner, a rotating device controlling the opening, a horizontallymoving air-feed controller for the flue below said opening, an operating-handle for said rotating controller, and a connection between the air-controller and the said operating-handle whereby both controllers are operated together.

4. A burner comprising a burner-chamber having a main burner at its upper end, a vapor-supply, a subfire-burner below said main burn er, and a longitudinal flue with open ends, said flue having an opening forming a communication with the subfire-burner, a rotating controller for said opening, an operatinghandle for said controller, a lever intermediately pivoted upon said operating handle or lever, the inner end of said lever adapted to partially close the said flue below the said opening therein, and stops for and adapted to engage the opposite end of said intermediately-pivoted lever.

5. A vapor-burner comprising a burnerchamber having a main burner at its upper end, and a subfire-burner below the said main burner, a vapor-supply, a flue extending longitu dinally through said burner-chamber and having an opening 'registerin g with the said snbfire-bnrner, a controller for said opening, In testimony whereof I affix my signature 5 horizontal controller for the lower end of in presence of two Witnesses. said fine having itself an opening forming an air communication with the interior of said ZEBULON DAVIS. fine, and an operative connection between itnesses: said controllers opening one and closing the E. D. DAKE,

other. JoE J. DUNN. 

